TID grills four suspects detained for spreading Zahran’s terror doctrine

By Norman Palihawadane

The Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) detained four suspects arrested, on Wednesday (March 31), for promoting extremism in connection with the Easter Sunday terror attacks and they were interrogated under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, Police Media Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana says.

The TID arrested four suspects including the person who allegedly uploaded a video of the terror group, making a pledge with Zahran Hashim, on the Internet, hours after the Easter attack.

DIG Rohana said that two of the suspects had been arrested by the TID in Colombo.

One of the suspects in custody is a 31-year-old resident of Wellampitiya; the other is a 32-year-old resident of Thihariya.

Investigations have revealed that they created a WhatsApp group called ‘One Umma’ and propagated extremist ideologies in various ways from Qatar.

The suspects left Sri Lanka after the Easter attacks and worked in Qatar. They were later deported from Qatar on Nov 21, last year following a notice issued by the Sri Lanka Police.

The TID arrested two more persons on Wednesday (31) on charges of facilitating the conduct of extremist classes in the Muttur area in late 2018.

They are 37-year-old and 38-year-old residents of Muttur, according to the Police Spokesman.

Police investigations have revealed that Zahran Hashim’s followers indoctrinated Muslim students who had sat the GCE O/L examination in 2018.

The Police Spokesman said that the four suspects were being detained and interrogated under the PTA.